A small step: More talks ahead for China, Dalai Lama envoys

May 7, 2008

By WILLIAM FOREMAN
The Associated Press
May 5, 2008; 1:16 PM

SHENZHEN, China -- The Dalai Lama's representatives left China on Monday with a solid offer from Beijing for future talks, marking a small step toward expanding dialogue between the two sides following anti-government riots in Tibet.

Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche of the India-based Tibetan government-in-exile said the two sides had agreed to meet again following day long discussions conducted in a "good atmosphere" Sunday in the southern city of Shenzhen.

"Like we said before, we're not expecting much outcome from these talks but this is a slow process and we are happy to continue the dialogue," he told reporters in Dharmsala, India, adding that details on future meetings will come later.

Both China's state broadcaster and the official Xinhua News Agency confirmed a second round of talks had been agreed on. Xinhua said, however, that Chinese officials told the Dalai Lama's envoys that recent protests had created new obstacles to communication.

International critics have accused China of heavy-handed tactics in quelling anti-government riots and protests in Tibet and Tibetan areas of western China that began in March. Some experts believe Beijing agreed to meet with the envoys to ease that criticism ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.

Still, it is the first time the two sides have sat down together since talks broke down in 2006 after six rounds. Despite China's vilification of the Dalai Lama, both sides have kept back channels for dialogue open.

The Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiritual leader who fled Tibet in 1959 amid a Chinese crackdown, has previously said he wants some form of autonomy that would allow Tibetans to freely practice their culture, language and religion.

Speaking from Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, Kesang Yangkyi Takla, foreign minister for the Tibetan government-in-exile, said the weekend meeting primarily focused on ways to improve conditions in Tibet.

"We feel that until and unless the current crisis ... in Tibet improves, it is difficult to start negotiations. This is where we are focusing at the moment," she said. "We hope that the government in China will consider this and give a concrete reply so that things improve in Tibet."

Xinhua reported that Chinese officials "answered patiently" questions raised by the Dalai Lama's envoys. However, the Chinese side told the envoys that the March 14 riots "had given rise to new obstacles for resuming contacts and consultations with the Dalai side," Xinhua said.

But even as the closed-door talks took place, China kept up its verbal assault on the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing has blamed for fomenting the latest unrest. The Tibetan leader has repeatedly denied the accusation.

"The central government hoped that to create conditions for the next round of contact and consultation, the Dalai side would take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games," Xinhua said on Monday.

China also brought out the young man appointed by Beijing as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest figure, on state television Monday to praise the ruling Communist Party.

"I deeply pray for the successful holding of the Olympics. Under the leadership of the great Chinese Communist Party, Tibet will definitely get more prosperous, and lives of Tibetan people will become nicer and happier," Gyaltsen Norbu said.

Gyaltsen Norbu is not widely accepted by Tibetans as the Panchen Lama. In May 1995, the Dalai Lama chose 6-year-old Gendun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama. The boy and his family disappeared soon after and have not been heard from since. Human rights groups say the boy has been under house arrest, a claim China denies although officials refuse to say where he is.

China says 22 people died in violence in Tibet's capital of Lhasa in March, while overseas Tibet supporters say many times that number died in protests and a subsequent crackdown.